Qualified Clinicians
Nurse Practitioners
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced training, experience and education. They do many of the things your doctor can, including prescribing medicine, treating most common illness and administering physical examinations.
To become a nurse practitioner, a qualified registered nurse must also complete an accredited master of science in nursing (MSN) program. After completing this intensive, two-year program, candidates must then pass an exhaustive national certification exam. Even after achieving certification, nurse practitioners must demonstrate continuing education and practice (as regulated by the national certification organization) to maintain their status.
Like a physician assistant, nurse practitioners are qualified to:
- Diagnose and treat common illnesses and minor injuries.
- Prescribe medication.
- Obtain medical histories.
- Perform physical assessments and examinations.
- Perform and interpret diagnostic and laboratory studies.
- Counsel and teach health and nutrition.
- Screen and refer patients to specialists and other health care providers.
Provide education to allow patients to make decisions about their own health.
Physician Assistants
Physician assistants are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine under a collaborative agreement with physicians. They do many of the things your doctor can, including prescribing medicine, treating most common illness and administering physical examinations.
Physician assistants train in intensive programs that follow the medical model. These programs are accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
To receive national certification, graduates of physician assistant programs take an exam developed by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and the National Board of Medical Examiners. What’s more, physician assistants must participate in a rigorous continuing medical education and recertification process.
Like a nurse practitioner, physician assistants are qualified to:
- Diagnose and treat common illnesses and minor injuries.
- Prescribe medication.Obtain medical histories.
- Perform physical assessments and examinations.
- Perform and interpret diagnostic and laboratory studies.
- Counsel and teach health and nutrition.
- Screen and refer patients to specialists and other health care providers.
- Provide education to allow patients to make decisions about their own health.